Feeding and Nutrition :: what to start of with for a hatchling

[TIMMYtheTURTLE]

I'm adopting as hatchling in early FEB, so what would be a good diet plan for him to start off with? Are some foods just to big for him to swallow or too tough? any ideas would be awesome, thanks!

[cam722]

I recommend using Reptomin baby pellets. You can add some plants, like anacharis and veggies, but most young hatchlings don't take to vegetable matter easily. It never hurts to try though. Fish and other high protein foods should be feed as treats not as a main staple of their diet.

Have you read the downloadable files for new turtle owners on the basics and what to feed?? If not, you can find them here.

http://redearslider.com/index_download.html#foods

Let us know when you get your baby and photos are definitely a plus

[daredevilgirl013]

For Michelangelo (he's a hatchling) He's got zoo med hatchling pellets, cuttlebone (must be cut into small pieces and the hard back taken off), dried shrimp (for treats only), he also has three snails in his tank (he hasn't ate those yet), at least 6 ghost shrimp (he may of eaten those I don't know I can't find them!!), and four guppies (all still there)

Hatchlings kinda like meat over veggies but he has some anacharis in there for the veggie end to eat. Really my rule of them with Michelangelo, don't get anything bigger then he is (like an apple snail..way bigger!! These snails are smaller)

Don't put any rocks in the tank that are smaller then his head if you want rocks, get the big river rocks so he doesn't eat them.

But really food wise I just go with the rule of keep it small. You'll have to find out what your turtle likes and doesn't like, so far all Michelangelo likes is his pellets, he won't eat veggies or meat (maybe the shrimp but who knows till I clean the tank and find out)

[marisa]

Aside from the Reptomin Baby, vary the diet with some live foods like earthworms (cut up since he's small) and small crickets. Hatchlings like the movement of live foods, also foods that are smelly. The anachris is good, both for him to nibble on and hide in, if he's really small.